ateneo launches ll.m. partnership with ateneo de naganews v 6 i 2 2018 2 ateneans top 2018 national...

Ateneo launches LL.M. partnership with Ateneo de Naga

AMICUS, Latin for “friend” or “comrade”, is the faculty bulletin of the Ateneo School of Law. It seeks to build a community of law school faculty members who inspire each other and the studentry to be skilled in the science and art of the law, to be imbued with a burning passion for justice, and to lead in serving the nation for the greater glory of God.Vol. 6, Issue 2 • December 2018

InsIdeAteneans top 2018 National Moot Court Competition on International Humanitarian Law 2

ALS partners with Facebook to discuss the Future Value of Data 2

Bernas Center now officially an Institute 3Teehankee Center launches

Centenary Lecture Series 3SEAHRN holds human rights conference

in Manila 4AHRC Taps Children to Conduct

Training on Child Rights 4AHRC, CHR, UNICEF launch toolkit on

monitoring children’s rights 5AHRC ED addresses the 17th Assembly of

States Parties to the Rome Statute 5ALS and AHRC host the Carnegie Council’s

Asia Dialogue Program on Climate Change and Related Issues 6

Conversations with an icon 7Paying it forward through the Bar Operations 8Breaking the mold: Alternative teaching

tools and techniques for law school 10Five things I learned from the

Asia Pro Bono Conference 12

continued on page 12

Dean’s Corner By JOSE MARIA G. HOFILEÑA

Based on collected statistics over the past few years, the Ateneo

Law School annually admits over 300 first year students, each of whom are eager yet anxious to commence and pursue what promises to be an arduous path in obtaining a top-notch education in law.

Throughout their next four years, it is our voluntarily assumed duty as faculty and administrators to teach them what the law is and why it is so, and to enlighten each one of these our students about the “science and art” of the law.

Decades upon decades, the Ateneo Law School has been deeply committed to this business and that it has sustained its publicly acknowledged preeminence through all that time speaks volumes of how successful we have been in this important endeavor.

But the articulated vision of the Ateneo Law School sets out our responsibilities as an institution and as individual participants in the realization of this vision, as calling for more:

“We envision graduates who are not only skilled in the science and art of the law but also leaders imbued with a burning passion for justice

Ateneo Law School (ALS) and Ateneo de Naga University College of Law (ADNU Law) launched the Naga offering of the ALS Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Human Rights Law on December 13, 2018. The launch coincided with the week-long celebration of the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Beginning January 2019, the LL.M. in International Human Rights Law will be offered at the Ateneo de Naga campus. With this pilot offsite offering, ALS and ADNU Law envision to enhance legal education, develop research and scholarship, and enhance human rights advocacy by tackling contemporary issues in the domestic and international realms. The LL.M. Program may be completed in three semesters spread over one year.

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(L-R) Atty. Amparita Sta. Maria, ALS-GLSI Director; ALS Dean Jose Maria G. Hofileña; Fr. Robert Exeqiel Rivera, Ateneo de Naga University President; Ateneo de Naga College of Law Dean Domnina T. Rances (ALS J.D. ’08); and Atty. Ryan Jeremiah D. Quan, ALS-GLSI Coordinator, at the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement on the LL.M. offering in Naga.

By RYAN JEREMIAH D. QUAN

The International Human Rights Law Track is one of the four specialist tracks of the ALS LL.M. Program. Apart from studying human rights principles, norms, conventions, and mechanisms, the International Human Rights Law Track also gives emphasis

on the application of laws and conventions to human rights situations of marginalized and vulnerable sectors. Employing a multidisciplinary approach and dynamic teaching methods in its various course offerings, the track seeks to develop practical

skills and substantive knowledge needed to become professionals and scholars in the field of human rights.

The LL.M. Program provides an avenue for quality continuing education in law following the

More Than Just a Law School

2Volume 6, Issue 2 • December 2018NEWS

Ateneans top 2018 National Moot Court Competition on International Humanitarian Law

(L-R) Matthew Kelby Uy (3D), Regina Isabel Ongsiako (3D), Tiffany So (3D), and Alija Pandapatan (2C) with the following awards: Best Memorial (Prosecution), 1st Place Trophy, 2nd Runner-Up Best Oralist in the Qualifying Rounds, and Best Memorial (Defense).

17th Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot Court Competition, which will be held in Hongkong in March 2019. Aside from winning the championship,

On 26 October 2018, the Ateneo Law School (ALS) won the championship in the 2018 National Moot Court Competition on International Humanitarian Law beating sixteen other competing universities from all over the Philippines.

This year’s Ateneo Team was composed of Ms. Regina Isabel Ongsiako (3D), Ms. Tiffany So (3D), Mr. Matthew Kelby Uy (3D) as the registered research assistant, and Mr. Alijah Pandapatan (2C), as the unregistered research assistant. They were coached by Atty. Jose Herminio Taylo (ALS J.D. ’15) and Atty. Jeunesse Dagdag (ALS J.D. ’17).

The Ateneo-Philippine Team will represent the country at the

the Ateneo Team also won Best Memorial for both the Prosecution and Defense. Ms. Tiffany So was also awarded 3rd Best Oralist in the Preliminary Rounds.

The 2018 National Rounds was organized by the Philippine Red Cross and the International Committee of the Red Cross, in partnership with the Court of Appeals. It was hosted by the University of Makati. The moot problem touched on varying crimes, specifically the crime of extermination and the existence of armed conflict in relation to the war crime of torture and attack against religious.

The National Moot Court Competition started in 2005. It is an international law moot court competition that provides law students a training ground where they can deepen their knowledge of International Humanitarian Law.

ALS partners with Facebook to discuss the Future Value of DataBy UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE

Dean Jose Maria G. Hofileña addresses the workshop attendees. (Photo courtesy of Atty. Brady de Castro)

Facebook, in collaboration with UK-based think tank, Future Agenda, has been sponsoring Future Value of Data workshops globally—including in Singapore, Bangkok, and Jakarta in Asia Pacific. In the Philippines, Facebook partnered with the Ateneo Law School (ALS)—through the Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, S.J. Institute for Continuing Legal Education—for a workshop on the Future Value of Data in Manila last September 24, 2018.

Building on insights from the global Future Agenda program and adding new research, this workshop brought together leaders and experts to explore and share views of the key regional and global changes on the horizon in the important and fast-evolving area of data.

ALS Dean Jose Maria G. Hofileña emphasized the importance of this conversation, saying that it is “essential since, even as we might not even have fully grasped the present value of

data, there is no doubt that data permeates (and will continue to do so) all aspects of our lives—and that the interdisciplinary character of the workshop’s participants testifies to that.”

“Facing the future value of data, while necessary,” he added “might also potentially be terrifying for us who teach and practice law because of the

change is occurring. With the use of data accelerating in and around many sectors, there will be an exploration of emerging legal, technological, social, business model, and regulatory shifts and how and where they may most impact over the next decade. Moreover, there will also be an inquiry into the emerging role of data in society.

possibility of discovering that in the field of legal education and practice, the community greatly prefers, or will prefer, artificial over natural intelligence.”

Launched in Bangalore, this major new project on the Future Value of Data engages with experts in 30 other cities around the world to build a rich, informed view of how and why


Bernas Center now officially an InstituteBy UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE

The legendary professor, lawyer, and Jesuit received multiple standing ovations, with the community showing him just how well-loved he really is.

On 12 September 2018, the Fr. Bernas Center for Continuing Legal Education was formally launched into the restructured Fr. Bernas Institute.

Gracing the event was the Institute’s very namesake—Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas SJ, whose presence was acknowledged and greeted by rapturous applause from lawyers, politicians, and academics in the Justitia Hall of the Ateneo Professional Schools campus in Rockwell, Makati City.

ALS Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Ma. Ngina Teresa Chan-Gonzaga welcomed the attendees of the landmark event. “The transformation and the reboot of the one-time center into an institute, is, I believe, a commitment of the Law School to its thrust towards legal and

professional development for lawyers.”

The Bernas Institute, she said, carries a heavy burden because it has great potential.

“But I am confident that it will rise to the challenge,” she remarked, “because we have a dynamic team which will surely grow in strength, a supportive law school community, and great partners like the Energy Regulatory Commission. The burden can be the start of the most exciting opportunities for ALS and the Institute.”

In between messages played a tribute to Fr. Bernas, with his colleagues, friends, and former students talking about his legacy as well as the mark he made on their lives, Philippine law, and Philippine society as a whole.

Teehankee Center launches Centenary Lecture Series

By MYREEN C. RAGINIO

To be critical is not equivalent to automatically being in the opposition. To be critical requires a careful examination of the subject of scrutiny and a determination of its good and bad points. As the great thinker Immanuel Kant once said, “Sapere aude!” Dare to know. This is why the Teehankee Center for the Rule of Law launched its Centenary Lecture Series, the first being on the proposed Federal Constitution.

In keeping with its role as a forum for informative, credible, and healthy discourses, the Teehankee Center held the first installment of the Centenary Lecture Series in the Ateneo Law School on 28 August 2018. Gracing the event as the keynote speaker was Retired Associate Justice Antonio Eduardo Nachura, member of President Rodrigo

Presidency, and Vice Presidency. Justice Nachura addressed these questions by sharing the “why” of the provisions, and also the “how” of the proposals. Through these interactions, a more vivid picture of the birth of the proposed Federal Constitution was generated.

Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Nachura discussing the proposed Federal Constitution.

Duterte’s Charter Change Consultative Committee.

The guests were welcomed by Dean Jose Maria G. Hofileña who reminisced on his own thoughts and experience during the consultations for the 1987 Constitution. Justice Nachura then gave an overview of the proposed Federal Constitution.

The changes in the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial branches of the government, as well as the nuances on the National Territory, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitutional Commissions, were among those introduced and discussed by Justice Nachura. One of the bolder proposals is the vesting of the power of revision – not just amendment – to the people when it comes to the fundamental law of the land.

After the discussion, the

floor was opened for questions and clarifications. Many curious students raised their own worries and doubts as to the changes being proposed, such as the inclusion of the minimum requirement of being a college degree holder or its equivalent to those running for Congress, the


SEAHRN holds human rights conference in ManilaBy CHRISTINE CLAIRE D. LAISON

The Secretariat of the 5th International Conference on Human Rights, Peace, and Conflict in Southeast Asia.

The Fifth International Conference on Human Rights, Peace, and Conflict in Southeast Asia was held on 15-17 October 2018, in Marco Polo Ortigas, Pasig City. It was co-organized by the Southeast Asian Human Rights and Peace Studies Network (SEAHRN) with the Ateneo Human Rights Center, the University of the Philippines Law Center’s Institute of Human Rights, Miriam College Department of International Studies, the Strengthening Human Rights and Peace Research / Education in ASEAN / Southeast Asia Programme (SHAPE-SEA), and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

With the theme “Making it Matter: Empowering Societies for Human Rights and Dignity in Southeast Asia,” the conference gathered more than 200

academics, scholars, researchers, graduates and post-graduate students, members of civil society organizations, and governments for a discussion of various issues affecting the protection of human rights, building of peace, transformation of conflicts, and claiming the dignity of Southeast Asia. Among the topics tackled in

the conference were post truth as a human rights challenge and the role of media, authoritarianism in Southeast Asia, and conflict transformation. Several academic papers on thematic human rights issues were also presented in the course of the 3-day conference.

SEAHRN is a consortium of 22 university-based institutions

from Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Presently based in Mahidol University in Thailand, SEARHN provides a platform for bringing together human rights and peace scholars in Southeast Asia to collaborate on research, teaching, and training to enhance activism and human rights and peace scholarship in the region.

AHRC taps children to conduct training on child rightsBy MA. CECILLE LUMAGUE-LATUNO

The Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), with the support of Save the Children Philippines and SIDA Innovation Fund, implemented the ChildTAP: Children Teaching Adults About Participation project. The project is focused on learning about children’s right to participation from children themselves. It provides children

the opportunity to exercise their right to participation by teaching adults how to develop an appreciation of child participation and gain insights on approaches to integrating the same in programs and activities involving children.

As a child-led activity, eight children, ages 11 to 17 years old, from three partner organizations

and communities of AHRC were invited to be trainers. The children formulated, developed, and facilitated the program to achieve the objectives of ChildTAP.

ChildTAP has three components namely: 1) training of child trainers and program design; 2) dry run of the program with child trainers; and 3) ChildTAP

Training, where the children facilitate the training of adults on child participation.

The ChildTAP Training was held on 10-11 November 2018, at the Discovery Suites in Pasig City. It was attended by 20 adult participants, including representatives ffrom the government and business sectors, as well as from civil society. During the program, the child trainers raised and discussed issues that are important to them, such as positive discipline, teenage pregnancy, and mental health. This provided the adult participants insights on how children see and feel about these issues. At the end of the activity, the child trainers expressed how the experience increased their confidence and passion to do development work in the future. The resounding message of the children during the training was clear and simple - children are not just the future; “children matter now.”

5Volume 6, Issue 2 • December 2018 5NEWS

AHRC, CHR, UNICEF launch toolkit on monitoring children’s rightsBy CHRISTINE CLAIRE D. LAISON

The launch was graced by CHR Chairperson Chito Gascon (6th from left).

The Ateneo Human Rights Center, with the support of UNICEF, implemented the CHR Capacity Building on Monitoring Child Rights project. As part of this project, the AHRC developed the CHR Operational Guidelines and Rules of Procedure for Monitoring the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CHR Toolkit). It was pilot-tested by the CHR Child Rights Center and its regional child rights focal persons through a series of regional consultations with children and adult participants. Additionally, various monitoring

the International Human Rights Week celebration, the CHR Toolkit was officially launched on 8 December 2018, at the UP Microtel Technohub, Quezon City. Commission on Human Rights Chair Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon, in his keynote message, emphasized that children’s rights are human rights. Atty. Anjanette Saguisag, Social Policy Chief of UNICEF, noted that the CHR Toolkit was developed through an iterative process, expressing appreciation for both children and

adults who participated. After the launching of the CHR

Toolkit, a validation activity with children for the draft CHR National Child Rights Situation Report was conducted. It was participated in by 14 children from seven regions across the country. It tackled diverse issues concerning children, such as those relating to children in armed conflict situation, street children, child labor, children with disabilities, children deprived of liberty, indigenous children, right to health, and violence against children.

activities - including site visits, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews – were also done over a 6-month period. The CHR Toolkit was subjected to a validation workshop before it was finalized. The AHRC also conducted an intensive children’s rights training for the CHR to further strengthen their capacity.

On 3 December 2018, the CHR En Banc issued CHR Resolution No. AM 2018-295, adopting and institutionalizing the use of the CHR Toolkit. As part of

AHRC ED addresses the 17th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome StatuteBy RAY PAOLO J. SANTIAGO

On 6 December 2018, Ateneo Human Rights Center Executive Director Atty. Ray Paolo Santiago addressed the 17th Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court as part of the civil society delegation.

In his statement, Atty. Santiago called on the States Parties “to reaffirm, in the strongest terms possible, in words and action, [their] commitment to the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court.” He “challenge[d] the States Parties to vocally speak for justice and condemn governments that undermine it,” alluding to the Philippine government’s decision in March 2018 to withdraw its membership

to the Rome Statute. He further emphasized that “[w]ithdrawal of States Parties from the Rome Statute has no other intention but to interfere with the investigation

of grave crimes and undermine the effectivity and credibility of the ICC.” He, however, concluded that despite the Philippines’ withdrawal, civil society and justice

advocates “are still prepared to dialogue and work with the Philippine government in bringing perpetrators to justice.” He ended by saying that “[i]t is not yet late for the Philippines to reverse its withdrawal. But the withdrawal itself must be condemned, as it is an act in support of impunity.”

The Assembly of States Parties is the ICC’s management oversight and legislative body composed of representatives of the States which have ratified or acceded to the Rome Statute. Atty. Santiago is the Co-Chair of the Philippine Coalition for the ICC, a network of individuals and organizations working towards effective justice and accountability mechanisms to benefit victims of grave crimes.


ALS and AHRC host the Carnegie Council’s Asia Dialogue Program on Climate Change and Related Issues

By FRANCIS TOM F. TEMPROSA

The Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, a New York-based independent think tank founded by Andrew Carnegie, partnered with the Ateneo Law School (ALS) and the Ateneo Human Rights Center to host the site visit of the Council in the Philippines on 21-27 October 2018. The visit sought to examine climate change in Philippine politics, society, and related issues.

Devin Stewart and Amanda Ghanooni of the Carnegie Council led a group of 10 Pacific delegates and two contributors from seven countries with diverse professional backgrounds to participate in classroom discussions, expert lectures, cultural activities, community dialogues, and site visits designed by Carnegie Council Fellow Atty. Francis Tom Temprosa of ALS and University of Michigan Law School. Atty. Temprosa was appointed as Pacific Fellow of the Council.

The Asia Dialogue Program goes around Asia to discuss themes related to concerns in the region. It previously went to Indonesia in 2017 to explore religion, and to Japan in 2016 to learn about gender and society.

On the first day, ALS Dean Jose Maria Hofileña opened the event and welcomed the delegates. Atty. Temprosa introduced the participants to the project’s goals. In the afternoon, experts Dean Antonio La Viña and Dr. Gemma Teresa Narisma of the Manila Observatory briefed participants on the science and policy issues of climate change in the Philippines and the world.

In the following days, speakers on the human and social costs of climate change and disasters, as well as the humanitarian response and strategies for adaptation, included Mark Bidder, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian

Affairs (Philippines), Atty. Maria Paz G. Luna of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Ms. Jee Geronimo of Rappler, and Dr. Charlotte Kendra Gotangco of Ateneo’s Department of Environmental Science.

Delegates travelled to a community affected by climate-related disasters including flooding, and rising sea levels in Malabon City. They spoke with leaders from the Manila Bay Coordinating Office, the city hall, and the barangay.

Atty. Lesley Leanne Cordero of the World Bank and former undersecretary at the Office of the President – Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery delivered an interactive talk on disaster response and climate change insurance and financing. Dr. Francisco Magno of De La Salle University – Manila talked about climate change and politics.

Some government officials also met the delegates, including Assistant Secretary Romell Antonio Cuenca of the Climate Change Commission and Brigadier General Restituto Padilla, Jr. of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Attys. Trisha Isabelle Fernandez and Martin Angelo Esguerra of the Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines discussed climate justice with them.

Mr. Carlos Conde of Human Rights Watch discussed the human rights situation of environmental activitists, journalists, and other members of civil society in the Philippines, as well as the connection between climate change, displacement, the war on drugs, poverty, and land rights.

Delegrates are supposed to create articles, features, and other knowledge products on the trip. The Henry Luce Foundation supported the event.

7Volume 6, Issue 2 • December 2018FEATURES

Conversations with an iconBy NINA PATRICIA D. SISON-ARROYOI had just finished my class one afternoon,

thinking about finally facing the pile of blue books on my desk as I made my way to my office, when I saw a colleague sitting by his lonesome in the law school conference room. I walked in to say hi, partly because I wanted to keep him company, but also because I saw a plate of pancit and turon on the table, which I surmised were remnants of a meeting that had scarcely ended. The food was res nullius as I supposed, and so I gladly sat down for a free merienda and some catching up with my colleague.

I hardly warmed my seat when from the corner of my eye I saw someone walk by and stop in front of the conference room. He was looking in, but not saying a word.

I acknowledged the presence of our unannounced visitor, and said to him, “Hi, sir. Did you come from class? I would offer you some merienda, but this is all I have.”

With his clutch bag in hand, he shuffled in. Before I knew it, it was just the two of us sitting across each other. My colleague stealthily stepped out after our visitor dropped his first line –

“You know, when Justice Narvasa was Chief Justice…”

No one else makes such an entry but Jack Jimenez.

I had always been intrigued by the enigma that is Jack. As a law student, I knew him as the walking SCRA, the beautiful mind, the nutty professor. I remember him sitting alone at a table for ten in the cafeteria of Dela Costa, pensive in his solitude and oblivious to the lunch hour bustle. I told my classmates that we should keep him company. No one was up to the task, and so I sidled up to Jack and sat across him.

“Do you mind if I join you, sir?” my presumptuous but well-meaning self asked. He looked at me and grumbled something. Those were all the words exchanged between us until we finished our lunch in awkward silence.

Many years after, 22 to be exact, there I was in the conference room sitting across Jack once again, the awkwardness of years past long gone. I asked him things I’ve always wanted to know about him.

Jack Jimenez is the third of four sons. His father was an accountant, and his mother, a homemaker. He is the only lawyer in the family. His brothers are all engineers. Lawyering was

his childhood dream. As a young boy he spent many hours reading Perry Mason novels.

It was 1968 when Jack graduated from law school. He started teaching right after he passed the bar the following year, with Torts and Damages as his first assignment. He began teaching Constitutional Law upon Fr. Bernas’ behest when Fr. Bernas was Dean in the 70s. He has taught many other subjects in the course of nearly 50 years of service.

Having encountered generations of professors, surely he would have something to say about what makes an excellent teacher. He did not have a secret formula to tell. What he had were stories of giants – Justice Venicio

Escolin, Judge Jesus De Veyra, and Justice Pompeyo Diaz.

Jack recounted that Justice Escolin was an expert in criminal procedure who brought with him a wealth of experience as a public prosecutor, a trial judge, and a justice of the Supreme Court. He did not make his students read a long list of cases. Instead, he carefully selected the decisions which best explained the legal doctrines.

Judge Jesus De Veyra grilled his students about the law and jurisprudence, and asked them to demonstrate their understanding of legal principles by giving their own examples. He lectured with clarity, and patiently taught the students until he was satisfied that he had taught them well.

Justice Pompeyo Diaz inspired his students by his mere presence, his eloquence, and his brilliance. For Jack, of the numerous commencement exercises he had attended only one was remarkable, and that was the graduation of 1981. It was the year when Justice Pompeyo Diaz delivered his legendary speech now known in history by its title,

Passion for Justice. After Justice Pompeyo Diaz spoke, the whole room fell silent, awestruck by the grandeur of his message and stirred by the power of his words.

I’m only on my 10th year of teaching. I must admit that there are times when I don’t feel up to it. How can one teach for nearly five decades and keep going?

For Jack there is only one reason – “You must love it. If you love teaching, you will not stop.”

“But what is it about teaching that makes you love it?” I asked.

“It’s the privilege of helping others realize their full potential,” he said. He takes pride in the fact that a third of the incumbent justices of the Supreme Court were his students.

“Which one do you love more, teaching or going to court?” My question was met with more stories.

Jack did not talk about the landmark cases that he handled, which his firm proudly broadcasts on its website: “Garcia v. J.G. Summit Petrochemical Corporation, 516 SCRA 493 (2007), in which the Supreme Court held that Presidential Decree Nos. 949 and 1803 do not require all petrochemical plants to be located in Bataan; British American Tobacco v. Camacho, 562 SCRA 511 (2008), in which the Supreme Court held that

the imposition of excise tax on cigarettes does not violate the constitutional requirement of uniformity in taxation; and Office of the Solicitor General v. Ayala Land, Inc., 600 SCRA 617 (2009), in which the Supreme Court held that requiring shopping centers to provide free parking spaces constitutes expropriation without payment of just compensation.”

He told stories about handling a murder case pro bono and having his client acquitted, of helping an innocent policeman accused of stealing chickens clear his record, and many more tales of rendering legal service not for fame or fortune, but out of a sense of duty as a member of the bar.

“Why did you do it?” I asked. It’s because his mother told him, “Hindi mo

madadala ang kayaman sa langit.”It was 6:00 p.m. Jack had to go to his class.

Our conversation had gone on for over two hours. It started out with a plate of pancit and turon. It turned out to be a feast served by a man who walks the halls of our beloved law school waiting to share a piece of his mind and soul to anyone willing to pause and listen.


Paying it forward through the Bar OperationsVolunteers preparing the materials to be used for mock bar. (Photo credit: Aleli Bucu)

All smiles while assembling the Bar Exam bags to be distributed to the Bar takers. (Photo credit: Aleli Bucu)

The Bar Examinations are no doubt the most important set of exams for every aspiring lawyer. Even if the exams are taken individually, our Bar examinees are never alone in preparing for it. The entire Ateneo Law School (ALS) community gives its full support to make sure the examinees can focus on Bar review.

This was what the ALS community made sure of for our 2018 Bar examinees. The 2018 Bar Operations was a labor of love with so many people contributing in the spirit of oneness: the Central Bar Ops team, the Student Council, student organizations, volunteer faculty members, and even law school alumni.

As in past years, the Bar Operations was most visible during the month of the exams. Nevertheless, making it successful required months of planning, numerous cups of coffee, a few all-nighters sprinkled in between, and a whole lot of heart from everyone involved. In the months leading up to November, the Central Bar Ops team, composed of the Academics, Administrative, and Hotel Committees, worked behind the scenes with the rest of the ALS community in full support.

Work for the Academics Committee began towards the end of the 2nd semester of S.Y. 2017-2018. Volunteers, both student and faculty, took time to check the review materials to make sure that key concepts for each subject were covered. Nights were spent proofreading drafts and deciding on what topics to include

By SEVERINO MIGUEL B. SANCHEZor not. This had to be completed in time for the start of the summer Bar Review. The following semester, the Academics Committee

prepared a second and more condensed pre-week reviewer, which was released closer to the exam dates.


Bar Ops volunteers on their toes just a few hours before the Bar Exams. (Photo credit: Asia Wy)

Singing the Song for Mary – a fitting conclusion to the Bar Exams and the start of the Salubong festivities. (Photo credit: Asia Wy)

Meanwhile, the Administrative Committee was on top of a different set of tasks with equally tight deadlines. The Committee, together with the faculty, organized special lectures on certain topics for the Bar examinees during the summer. Once the 1st semester of A.Y. 2018-2019 was underway, the Administrative Committee took charge of the Mock Bar Examinations so that the Bar examinees could have a feel for the environment and pressure of an actual Bar Exam. Volunteers also assembled the clear bags mandated by the Supreme Court. Some students, faculty, friends, and alumni, even sent in good luck packages for the Bar examinees to be inserted in their bags.

In the summer, the Hotel Committee booked the accommodations to ensure a comfortable weekend for the Bar examinees in a hotel close to the examination site.

All hands were on deck come November. The student and faculty volunteers of the Academics Committee continued to prepare review materials and answer the Bar examinees’ last minute queries. The Hotel Committee made sure that the Bar examinees’ stay at the hotel was as comfortable as possible, and made wake-up calls for the examinees to make it in time for the examinations each Sunday morning. The Administrative Committee was in charge of Sunday operations at the examination site, including food runs and whatever needs the Bar takers had.

The four gruesome Bar Exam weekends clearly saw the spirit of paying it forward

in full force. Alumni and faculty members dropped by the hotel to give moral support, and even brought food to share. Volunteers who received last minute questions from the examinees had the chance to consult with more senior students or faculty at the hotel. To keep everyone’s spirit up and awake in the early hours of the morning, some volunteers jammed to music and others cheerfully joined in.

The Bar Exam weekends sparked a positive environment where everyone could interact with each other irrespective of year level or differences — whether students, alumni, or faculty. The atmosphere and interaction was unlike what was normally had in school. At the

end of each weekend, people would go home tired, but with all smiles nonetheless.

What makes the Ateneo Bar Operations special is the foundation which the entire effort is built on. Its building blocks are the individual efforts of each member of the community striving to pay it forward to take care of our Bar examinees and future lawyers. The actions of one inspire others to do the same, and that generosity and selfless spirit accumulates and transforms into something really special. Thus, through the efforts of those behind the scenes, the ALS community was again able to give its all-out support to our Bar examinees, without counting the cost. To be part of something like that is something we can all be proud of.


Breaking the mold: Alternative teaching tools and techniques for law school

The predominant technique: Socratic method

In a typical law classroom, the teacher — and only the teacher — asks the questions. He or she rarely ever gives answers. The students, most times daunted, are expected to give the correct answers by drawing inferences from the professor’s questions and the assigned readings. Through this method the students are forced to learn through a process of induction. The students have to connect the dots, prodded by the Socratic interrogator, to get a firm grasp of the day’s lessons. A lot of times, the students have to rely on other reading materials to essentially teach themselves what they could not learn solely by inference.

To a great extent, this teaching method has worked. In fact, the Socratic way has received almost universal acceptance in teaching law. Its impact on legal education is undeniable. But is it always the most effective?

The wide use of the Socratic method could be explained by the perfectly understandable aversion to “spoon-feed” the students. Sure, the Socratic method has been reliable for extracting doctrines and forcing students to think analytically on their feet. But law professors will do well to recognize there are limits to learning by induction. Relying exclusively on the Socratic method constrains the teacher in a pedagogical straitjacket and discourages direct communication and fruitful interaction with the students. Expanding the arsenal of teaching techniques in law school may be in order.

The good news is that there are a lot of teaching techniques and tools available to the law professor. We discuss below some of these useful techniques and tools.

Using hypotheticalsRelying on the assigned cases and readings

may not be enough to drive a point home. Some slight variation in the facts of the assigned case can contribute greatly to the students’ grasp of the concept. Hypotheticals also allow the students to comprehend the limits of a particular element or legal principle.

The professor can also assign hypothetical problems in writing to the students, ideally in advance of the session where the concerned concept will be discussed. Hypotheticals can be helpful for applying the knowledge gained from the readings. This is especially true for subjects where a concept-level discussion is not sufficient, e.g., legal ethics, legal research and writing, practice court, etc. These subjects usually involve skills or decision making which can be learned better through scenarios that the students confront.

thing nowadays. We have the good old reliable whiteboard, as well as the relatively recent monitors installed inside classrooms. The whiteboard is effective (assuming your handwriting is not terrible), but it takes up precious time to write. Also, a lot of concepts are best illustrated by charts, diagrams, tables, or even photos which cannot be shown with just the whiteboard. Hence, PowerPoint slides are the weapon of choice nowadays. They are effective in controlling the flow of the discussion, and put the needed image or illustration at the teacher’s fingertips. Slides may also simply contain words. To be

effective, however, PowerPoints should contain only key words or clauses and topic sentences, not entire definitions or lengthy enumerations.

With a monitor ready for use and Internet connection, professors can also click on websites with content that illustrates a concept or topic. The text of laws and regulations can be flashed, important documents (e.g., a certificate of title or Articles of Incorporation) and instructive videos (e.g., samples of good cross examinations or an educational movie scene) can be shown. The possibilities are endless and professors should take advantage.

Web pages and mailing or social media groups

Students today are incredibly well-versed with the Internet. With enough help and resources, creating a Web page for the class can be helpful. The page can contain not just the syllabus and course materials, but also assignments and

problems. Electronic files can also be uploaded to the Web page.

For less techie professors, there is the old but dependable mailing group or the slightly more familiar Facebook group. These media can be useful for additional interaction out of class, as well as for sharing and accessing materials at any time.

Allowing questions from the class

Very rarely are students given a free pass to ask questions. A handful of professors might consider this “spoon feeding.” Some might

By OSCAR CARLO F. CAJUCOM

“Speak louder, Mr. Hart! Fill the room with your intelligence!” The famous scene in the movie, The Paper Chase, where Prof. Kingsfield questions the law student, Mr. Hart, using the Socratic method.

Visual aidMany students learn faster and better

with visual aid. This is especially true for the younger generations, who are used to absorbing visual information through the Internet and social media. It does not help that legal education relies heavily on words, such that class sessions become a verbal ping-pong match between the student and the teacher. Those not sufficiently engaged could find the entire exercise boring, and will lose track of what is important enough to remember.

Fortunately, inserting some visuals in your teaching regimen can be the easiest


avoid it for fear of being suspected of not knowing the subject inside and out. Answering questions from the class is helpful, however, especially in cases when Socratic questioning comes to an end without covering all the points intended to be conveyed.

Allowing the class to ask questions can be tricky, however. With professors’ struggles to prepare for class and attend to their other distractions, it is simply impossible to always be ready to answer all questions. There will be times when the professor will simply have no ready answer. Instead of answering from the top of his or her head and risk making a mistake, the professor can buy time to put together a better one. The answer to the difficult question can be a point for discussion on the next session.

Another problem is that entertaining questions could open the floodgates without limit (of course students have been known to use this opportunity to put off recitation). Thus, it is important that the professor maintains control of both the time and the topics for questioning. Questions that will be covered later in the syllabus can be politely dismissed. Obscure or trivial questions can likewise be waived off, but if it is instructive and the student genuinely wants to know, the professor can make himself or herself available for a short discussion after class.

Participatory learningStudents have been known to absorb

knowledge better through interactive modules that require their participation. Participatory learning can range from the traditional group reporting to the use of interactive activities requiring the application of concepts. A common method of participatory learning is the use of popular education techniques like games instead of the usual quizzes or recitation. Students can also be asked to visit places where the law is alive and in action — courts, legislative hearings, jails.

In the end, no matter what teaching technique or tool is used by the professor, it should be chosen deliberately with the course objectives in mind. Instead of assuming that the Socratic method will be best, the professor should sit down, think hard of what the students should get out of the class, and break the mold of the usual teaching techniques if need be.

(Source: Howard E Katz & Kevin Francis O’Neill, Strategies and Techniques of Law School Teaching, available at https://www.wklegaledu.com/File%20Library/Resources/Faculty/Strategies-Techniques-Teaching/KatzandONeill_LawSchoolTeaching.pdf )

Meet the New Faculty

Atty. Leo Miguel R. AnonuevoAtty. Leo Miguel R. Anonuevo is a Resident Supervising Attorney

of the Ateneo Legal Services Center. A true blue Atenean, he studied at the Ateneo de Manila University from grade school to law school. He obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 2010 and was admitted to the Philippine Bar the following year. He is a founding partner of Legaspi, Furigay & Añonuevo Law Offices and a Director/Incorporator/Vice President/Corporate Secretary of Zynergy Resource Solutions, Inc.

Atty. Añonuevo teaches Clinical Legal Education 101.

Atty. Patricia P. GeraldezAtty. Patricia P. Geraldez is a Junior Associate at Poblador Bautista

& Reyes. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 2016 from the Ateneo de Manila University, graduated as class valedictorian with second honors and was bestowed with the Third Best Thesis award. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2017. She holds a degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Economics from the University of the Philippines, Diliman, where she graduated in 2010 as Magna

Cum Laude and was bestowed a SICAT Award for Best Thesis. Atty. Geraldez teaches Legal Research and Writing I.

Justice Ronaldo B. MartinJustice Ronaldo B. Martin is an incumbent Associate Justice of

the Court of Appeals. Prior to his appointment to the appellate court in 2015, Justice Martin was the Presiding Judge (2005-2015) and subsequently the Executive Judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 73, Antipolo City (2007-2015). He is a lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy. Also a true blue Atenean, he earned his AB Economics degree in 1986 and his Juris Doctor degree in 1992. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1993.

Justice Martin teaches Practice Court 1.

Atty. Vigor De Dios MendozaAtty. Vigor De Dios Mendoza is the Managing Partner of the

Malcolm Law Office since 2002. He is a Board Member of the Central Azucarera De Tarlac and Chairman of the Board of 1-Transportation Equipment Aggregators and Management Inc. (1-TEAM). Atty. Mendoza was a Congressman representing 1-UTAK Party List at the House of Representatives. Another true blue Atenean, Atty. Mendoza earned his AB Economics degree in 1983 and his Bachelor

of Laws Degree (LL.B.) in 1988. He was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1989.Atty. Mendoza teaches Transportation Law.

Atty. Maria Cecilia NatividadAtty. Maria Cecilia Natividad is a Consultant of the Asian

Development Bank since 2016 with the Office of the General Counsel, and currently with the Private Sector Operations Department (PSOD). Prior to this, Atty. Natividad was in private practice in 2009-2010 and government service in 2011-2015. She earned her double degrees in Bachelor of Arts Major in Organizational Communication and Bachelor of Science in Commerce, major in Legal Management in 2002 from the De La Salle University – Manila. She obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 2008 from the Ateneo de Manila University. She was admitted to the Philippine Bar in 2009.

Atty. Natividad teaches Legal Research and Writing I.

12Volume 6, Issue 2 • December 2018

Head, Editorial BoardJose Maria G. Hofileña

Editor-in-ChiefNina Patricia D. Sison-Arroyo

Associate EditorsOscar Carlo F. CajucomRyan Jeremiah D. Quan

Editorial AssistantBlythe M. Lumague

Contributors

ARTICLES

Axel Rupert M. CruzChristine Claire D. Laison

Ma. Cecille Lumague-Latuno Myreen C. Raginio

Severino Miguel B. SanchezRay Paolo J. Santiago

Francis Tom F. Temprosa University Communications and

Public Relations Office

PHOTOS

Aleli Bucu Brady C. De Castro

Asia Wy

Dean’s Corner By JOSE MARIA G. HOFILEÑA

and the desire to serve the nation for the greater glory of God.”

To be true to our mission, we must realize that we are summoned not just to instruct them on the law, but to teach them—by our own words and actions—to understand that to practice law is to protect justice. That to practice law is to serve the nation and its legal and judicial system. Without a sense of justice and service, the practice of law would be hollow; it would not be Atenean.

To be sure, in order to better enable the Ateneo Law School to keep faithful to its vision, it must not be myopically confined to providing legal education of the highest standards, but must itself, as an institution, be an active participant in opportunities where it can demonstrate that it too, as a School of Law worth its preeminence, champions justice and serves the larger community.

It is for this reason that the Ateneo Law School is structured so as to have, and have arrangements with, various centers and institutes—the Ateneo Human Rights Center, the Ateneo Legal Services Center, the Graduate Legal Studies Institute, the Joaquin Bernas Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the Teehankee Center for

the Rule of Law—that reach out to serve its community in ways other than providing a basic law degree. It is for this reason that the Ateneo Law School chooses to offer itself to those who most need legal representation.

By itself taking a direct part in service to the nation and the promotion of justice, the Ateneo Law School hopes that in addition to the creditable examples that its own faculty stands as, its students can look at the Ateneo Law School as providing a testament to the values of service and justice—one that they can carry with them as they eventually practice law in the real world.

This issue of Amicus is replete with articles that demonstrate the Ateneo Law School’s involvement in activities that matter in addition to, and without sacrificing, its commitment to the legal education of its students. There is important and interesting information in this issue about what preoccupies the Ateneo Human Rights Center, the Ateneo Legal Services Center, the Graduate Legal Studies Institute, the Joaquin Bernas Institute for Continuing Legal Education, and the Teehankee Center for the Rule of Law.

Truly, consistent with its vision, the Ateneo Law School is more than just a law school.

More Than Just a Law Schoolfrom page 1

from page 1

Ateneo’s intellectual rigor in the tradition of Jesuit education and imbued with a deep sense of Ignatian spirituality that considers and embraces the world as the field of service. It also aims to broaden legal knowledge through functional and ethical research work that will

Ateneo launches LL.M. partnership with Ateneo de Naga contribute to national and international legal development.

The ALS LL.M. Program is the only LL.M. Program in the Philippines which offers specializations and has strong focus on international law. It is being administered by the Graduate Legal Studies Institute.

Five things I learned from the Asia Pro Bono Conference

On 25-27 October 2018, I attended the 7th Asia Pro Bono Conference held in Hong Kong, as a representative of the Ateneo Legal Services Center (ALSC). Here are the five things that I learned from the conference:

1. The types of cases handled by ALSC, through the Clinical Legal Education (CLED) Program, are different (dare I say, more pressing?) from those handled by legal aid clinics in first world Asian countries. For instance, while our CLED students handle

drug, rape, and child abuse cases, law students in Singapore, as one speaker discussed, are concerned about how to assist clients in filling out bankruptcy forms.

2. Our law students are luckier (well, in my eyes) as they have the opportunity to practice their trial skills in an actual court. While 4th year law students under CLED are allowed to appear in all Philippine trial courts, many Asian countries still limit law student practice to legal research and drafting of pleadings. The closest thing to trial practice that they experience is mooting.

3. The term used in other countries to describe the legal service that ALSC has been providing to moderate income clients who do not qualify for pro bono assistance is “Low Bono.” This practice increases access to justice for people of moderate means, who do not qualify for free legal services, but cannot afford the fees of private lawyers who charge under traditional law firm models.

4. Foreign law firms appear more supportive of pro bono activities. The major sponsors of the conference were international law firms. In addition to financial support, the partners and associates of these law firms shared their time and knowledge at the event. Foreign law firms also generously fund their in-house pro bono departments and reward partners and associates for their pro bono (i.e., non-billable) work.

5. And finally, based on the content of the talks, we are ahead in terms of experience in actual case handling and in running a school-based legal aid office. It was apparent that many participants in the conference were still in the (preliminary) stage of asking themselves: “What types of cases and clients should I accept?”

In the end, although we still have much to learn, I believe we have much more to contribute to the international pro bono community.

By AXEL RUPERT M. CRUZ

ateneo launches ll.m. partnership with ateneo de naganews v 6 i 2 2018 2 ateneans top 2018 national...

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